5 Best Meatballs in St. Petersburg FL 2019

I'm just going to say this up front. I am a total bitch when it comes to Italian meatballs ... or at least some people are going to think that. Alternatively, please feel free to label me a "Meatball Snob".

If the meatballs on this list didn't exist, I would sadly have to tell you that there aren't any great meatballs in St. Pete at all. Seriously. This was the most frustrating, arduous list ever.

We have been working on this for over a year, going to 25 different restaurants to eat meatballs in St. Petersburg, and St. Pete Beach.

Even with the best meatballs listed here, we still haven't found one restaurant that pan fries them first. (Most of them on this list found a way to make up for this. Details to follow.)

Yes, I had the proverbial Italian (Sicilian) grandmother that came over on the boat—literally. She made meatballs every Sunday, and fried them in the cast iron skillet to get that nice sear before simmering in the sauce for hours.

If you make your own meatballs at home, and you put them in the oven instead of frying, you make me cry.

I will end my complaints with this quite puzzling observation / question.

Why do so many of the meatballs at different restaurants all seem like they came from the same place? They are very soft, with a super fine grind on the meat, and don't seem that meaty, or rustic, or to have much seasoning. Is this some actual style that I am not aware of, or just don't appreciate? I wonder this because I find them almost everywhere. I don't like those kind of meatballs. None of them are on this list.

ST. PETE FOODIES APPROVED SPONSOR:

Before we get into the list, an important thing you should be aware of is that there are other publishers of "best of lists" that do not actually go to the establishments, or actually eat the food. (Sounds ridiculous, right?) They just download photos from the internet, or embed Instagram posts from someone else. Instant "Best of ..." list produced without having to leave the house, or even get dressed.

That's NOT how we do it.

We absolutely DO eat all of the food on all of our lists. (How can anyone recommend something they never experienced?)

Unfortunately, we've seen these junk lists a lot—from national and local publishers. We are also aware of a local publisher that offers paid placement in best-of-lists. There is no paid placement here.

I PERSONALLY ATE ALL OF THESE MEATBALLS, AND WENT TO ALL OF THESE PLACES, AND THESE ARE ALL MY PHOTOS.

(Piave is an Italian cow's milk cheese, that is named after the Piave river. As Piave has a Protected Designation of Origin, the only "official" Piave is produced in the Dolomites area, province of Belluno, in the northernmost tip of the Veneto region. Wikipedia)

IL Ritorno's meatballs have been one of our favorites since they hit the menu, almost two years ago. The flavors, texture and sauce all harmoniously arouse you into a new experience that you've never had before. These are unique—there's a light breading on the outside that creates a nice texture, the meatballs are smoked, and the meat and the sauce have that wonderful Italian Piave Cheese.

Noble Crust's meatballs are fantastic—bursting with flavor, rustic in texture, with a nice char on top from a last minute in the broiler, and they come with a delicious parmesan, and let's not forget the basil. What could be an afterthought, wonderfully perfumes your senses just before your teeth sink into the land of umami, tang and spice. The basil of course also adds a nice green brightness to the mix.

Meatballs - 100% Beef and Made in House With Garlic, Onions and Bread Crumbs.

Just like IL Ritorno, Pizza Box has been one of our favorites for about two years now. The two of them sat alone on the list for a while.

The flavors and textures are phenomenal, and unique. The sole cooking implement at Pizza Box is the wood-fired oven that Adam (Chef & Co-Owner) made himself. So, the meatballs are cooked and smoked at 700 degrees. They have a smokey flavor, and an excellent hard char on the outside.

Da Sesto is an old-school Italian restaurant that reminds me of the places I would go to as a kid in New Jersey. The décor is nostalgic, fine dining in the 1970s.

The meatballs, albeit not fried, still remind me of the meatballs I had as a kid. Rolled by hand, not perfectly round, with a simple homemade feel and flavor. They are oregano-forward, which I liked, and Lori didn't.

Tell us what your favorite meatballs are in the comments below!

Readers Rating

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Your Rating

There are A LOT of meatballs in St. Pete that are just ok. It is not easy to find good rustic Italian meatballs in St. Petersburg FL, and it took quite a bit of tenacity to bring you the ones that stand out from the crowd to be the best.

DISCLAIMER: Kevin, Lori, Abby, Haley, Lindsey, & Alexia do not dine anonymously (this would be impossible) and we sometimes get free food (though never expected). However, we dine with the locals and we support our own. You will always get honesty in a respectful manner.

I've always loved cooking. When I was 6-years old I wanted to cook. When my mom said that she was just running to the neighbor's and would be right back, I climbed onto the kitchen counter and found Lipton Instant French Onion Soup Mix. By the time my mom returned, I was stirring the pot on the stove, and proclaimed; "Look Mom! I'm cooking!"

In High School, I took three different cooking classes and got an A in each. After getting my first apartment, I used to cook 5-nights a week, and go out two nights. An old girlfriend from decades ago had a brother-in-law that was a CEO of a trucking company, and he used to entertain in Manhattan quite a bit ... and he started taking us along.

This was when I learned about gourmet food and fine wine. For a couple of years, Lori and I went out about 4-5 nights a week, but now we have a better balance of 50/50 between cooking at home, and going out to the amazing restaurants we are so lucky to have in our beloved Downtown St. Petersburg.